Birch Aquarium at Scripps Review

Some people here say it's a small aquarium. It isn't small, it is tiny! We went over all fish exhibits in 10-15 minutes! I was in shock. It has very few sharks in a separate tank outside, ONE turtle, no penguins, no area to touch stingrays and star fish. And i thought our inland aquaruim, which has at least 5 times the number of exhibits and same admission price, was small! They make it up somewhat with kids' play area, which seems to excite kids more than the aquarium itself, nice observation area facing the ocean and a couple activities for the kids. We were there during their tank cleaning/fish feeding show and the last part was fun. Overall it feels like a big disappointment considering that it's an aquarium located on the coast and the top rated one in San Diego.

Fascinating and fun center to grow your understanding of the ocean. Engaging for all ages and interest levels. The scientists, volunteers and staff of the Birch Aquarium are an inspiration! I have visited many times and become more enamored with each trip. The view of the mighty Pacific and La Jolla cove from the tide pools magnificent.

Fun place with a good number of tanks and different acquatic life to see. Small kids loved it. Price is reasonable.
Some interactive things for kids to do also.

It's Up a hill. so park at the lot rather than down by the restaurant. We ate and parked at the restaurant down by the beach then walked up.

This place is very good for kids. They have quite a couple of things for them to do. The view is gorgeous. The exhibits are informative and they have a pretty good layout. It's not big but still has quite a good amount of things to see and do. Would recommend for people who have kids who love ocean life and adults. It's close to the beach so you can always go afterwards! Had a great time!! They also have a little cafe by the entrance so you can buy food if you dont want to bring some.

This is a fascinating place to spend 2-3 hours. The sea life presented is amazing. I loved the sea horses. The food kiosk offers excellent small meals, coffee and snacks. The view is incredible. And, this is one of the few places you can have a great time on a rainy day.

Very modern and colorful sea exhibits. Alot of interactive and hands on experiments. Staff is friendly. A little noisy when school kids are there. First time visit and worth it.

Great place for kids. They have a courtyard for water and scientific exploratory activities. Great exhibits and examples of ocean life to see. Only complaints are parking can be difficult and it's not a very large aquarium, but that's probably me just nit-picking

Enjoy this 16 seconds time lapse video shot in Birch Aquarium. Birch Aquarium is my favorite local aquarium. I come visit at least once a week. I first say hello to the octopus who laid eggs last year on March. If she lives in the wild, she would have been dead because the mother octopus spend all her time guarding her children that she don't have time to hunt and eat. However, thanks to the good care of the staff in the aquarium, she is still alive and in good health. As an international student, I've learnt a lot of vocabulary from the aquarium. :) Please check out their online schedule when planning your visit. They often host great events for you to enjoy~

Good for kids, kinda quick and boring for adults. If you only have an hour to kill, the small admission fee may be worth a look.

The Birch Aquarium is a nice facility more typical of older style research aquariums, lacking the giant tubes and super huge tanks that have become the norm for modern aquariums. The seahorse and leafy seadragon tanks were really nice and I thought overall the different exhibits nicely represented the biodiversity of the California coast.

Believe it or not, this was my first time there after living in San Diego for over 30 years.

This is a great place and perfect for parents of small children. It's not too big, its just right for finding those little runners. And has a learning playground for them.

I recommend Birch Aquarium at Scripps to everybody.

Oh yeah, the gift shop prices aren't insane. Good prices and selection of toys, shirts, coffee mugs, etc...

Love this place! Only true aquarium in San Diego. Little on the small side, but the array of species is amazing. Beautiful views of La Jolla and the coast. Lots of kid-friendly exhibits, including a touch tide pool. Definitely visit if you have the time.

We had a great time! The views outside were incredible! The shark tank was a little underwhelming.

thorough about education of Socal waterways. there are great interactive bits and kids will love the displays.

definitely go during the tide pool feedings outside!

proceeds go to funding research at Scripps as well, and we need more ocean exploration!

Great facility. Exhibits get everyone's interest, even kids

We went last Saturday and were quite impressed with the wide range of marine life. I was particularly attracted to the seahorses, sea dragons and moray eels. I found the lighting and ability to closely observe the creatures to be unique. If you have kids there are plenty of learning experiences. FYI, if you are a BofA patron you can attend for free on the first Saturday of every month.

I wasn't impressed but I also understand it's more of a teaching aquarium for the schools than anything else. I was expecting something else.

This place is great. Up close views of aquatic life

Beautiful view of the ocean, great place to spend a little time. A little pricey, but admission goes to great research and projects.

Another great SD family spot, the Birch Aquarium is a small aquarium, but one that hosts some impressive and fascinating species. A family membership is affordable, and provides a great option for sunny or rainy days alike. This is one of the must-have memberships for families in SD, along with the SD Zoo/Safari Park, Living Coast Discovery Center, and SD Botanical Garden. You probably won't spend more than a couple of hours here, but with its location in La Jolla, right next to UCSD, there are many other attractions and food options that you can bookend onto the trip.

One of the jewels of San Diego. Well designed. Great for children as has hands on activities. Must see the giant kelp tank fish feeding at noon. Really nice interpreters to learn from.

It's a really nice aquarium with plenty to do with the little ones. The only downside is that we were done with everything in about an hour so it's not a all day thing. Parking can be hectic.

This was the perfect place to spend a few hours after acquiring a nasty sunburn at the beach. There are tons of exhibits that are in excellent condition. During my visit I was pleased to see that there were many people available to provide more information on particularly interesting exhibits. I was highly impressed with this facility.

Fun place for little kids to play. A bit small but good times for the little ones.

Beautiful aquarium overlooking the ocean on the cliffs in La Jolla.

It is a smaller aquarium, but there is a nice assortment of jellies, seahorses, and many other fish located along the coast of California through Baja.

Hands on Tidal pools outside are very fun for the kids. There is a scientific are for young minds on the south side of the aquarium, including a hands-On water works table or two, and a good look at local leopard sharks.

Our favorite is the full wall local fish display, including the giant sea bass!

very nice, i came over the summer in a college class and was very happy with the information provided to help with the class :)

Try to go on a weekday to avoid the crowds and wedding receptions. Wonderful family fun. Exhibits are top notch. Went for the seahorse exhibit. Learned a lot. Food was better than expected.

Wonderful small inviting aquarium. Bring the kids and enjoy interactive outdoor areas and beautiful ocean views. Nice array of aquatic life, beautifully presented.

It was really awesome but smaller than expected. There was a million people in there so it got really sticky and hot in there. They did have some lovely displays, though.

Great place cool octopus and seaturtle tiger shark

super nice and well laid out. parkings a struggle when it s crowded.

The most amazing see aquarium I've ever visited! It's incredible how many different exhibits they have in their building, and the sharks were very, very cool. We especially enjoyed the today pools outside. And don't forget to visit the gift shop on the way out...they have a lot of things there which are quite nice, very above par compared to the many shops we visited on that vacation.

Fun, close encounters. But a lot smaller then planned. Spent 1.5 hours here

For being a fairly small aquarium, it s very nice. We went during the holidays and it was pretty busy but there was still plenty of room for us to move about and see everything. My kids particularly enjoyed the sensory areas outside. Check out Groupon for tickets before going though as you can get a discount!

The perfect place to spend an afternoon with the family
Parking is free

Nice little spot to visit when we have no plans for the day. One girl at the information desk was very helpful when we asked her a few questions, and the rest of the staff seemed happy to be there as well. Definitely a good place to bring kids, as they've got a touch pool with an amazing view, plus a cool waterworks playground area. There's also a cafe out front that has a decent selection of food and drinks to offer (I think there are locally made items). And, of course, a gift shop filled with a lot of different knick knacks is a good way to end the trip:)

They have a great selection of amazing facts and they have a great view of the ocean

Quick facts:
Size: Medium
Est. Time in Aquarium: 2 - 2.5 hours
Price: $19.50 (Adults) $15 (children +3)
Best Feature(s): Seahorse/Seadragon exhibit.
Recommended for: Families

The Birch has 6 main exhibits.(1) The Hall of Fish is the largest and contains approx. 40 displays, large and small, containing exotic fish, squid, starfish, crabs, manta rays, eels, turtles, etc. The hallway you walk through is dark and is illuminated by the blue light shining from the aquariums, so it adds to the underwater ambience. It can be a bit cramped in there on Saturdays, since the hallway is not very wide and can be noisy as well because of the kids running around.

(2) The Oddities exhibit primarily has dead specimens in glass of unusual underwater creatures. Some are very weird and creepy looking but is probably the most interesting exhibit.

(3) Expedition at Sea is an exhibit that takes you into the world of an ocean research vessel that gives a peek into their job and mission. There aren't any fish displayed in this exhibit, so I spent the least amount of time here.

(4) Seadragons and Seahorses contains about a dozen aquariums of these creatures. Who doesn't LOVE seahorses?!? They're so freakin' cute!

(5) Shark Shores is the smallest 'exhibit' and is primarily a medium sized water tank containing a small shark species.

(6) The Tide Pool plaza is an outdoor exhibit that gives you an up close view of other sea creatures such as sea stars, lobsters, crabs, etc. Although sometimes it can be somewhat empty.

Other than the exhibits there are some great views of the ocean at the Tide pool plaza and a small water-themed play area near the shark exhibit.

The Birch is a good way to spend an afternoon with the family. Although I would suggest not going on a Saturday as it can be quite busy and noisy. There are alot of interactive aspects and things kids can touch and play with within each exhibit so kids can definitely keep themselves busy here.

The main reasons I am not giving the Birch five stars is #1 the price; its a nice aquarium but its not very big and I feel that $20 per adult is alot. A family of four would spend nearly $70 for 2-3 hours. #2 While they do have a variety of species here, I wish they had a few larger species of creatures, outside of some large fish and the sharks, there isn't much else that has that WOW factor.

Recommended for San Diego locals but if you're visiting San Diego as a tourist I think its ok to leave it off your itinerary as there are other similar attractions (e.g. SeaWorld) that I think are better use of your time.

It was a nice, small aquarium. I would recommend going on the weekdays rather than the weekend. Great spot!

Very affordable and a fantastic experience. They even have a nice shore pool area outside where you can get a hands-on experience with some of the aquatic life. Great for both kids and adults. One of the few aquariums in the US who have Leafy Seadragons on display!

Great aquarium. I learn something new everytime I visit.

If you have a Bank of America debit card you can get in free one weekend a month (second weekend of the month maybe?)

Went on Veterans day. I'm not sure if it's worth the price without the discount but an enjoyable experience.

This Aquarium is very kid friendly with some experience exhibits. For adults there is also much to see, including the gorgeous view over the Pacific Ocean.

Went during a weekday. It was really nice, they have a military discount and it wasnt super crowded. I liked it better than seaworld.

Too expensive for a less than 1 hour experience...not a lot to do

Loved it! Great variety of aquatic life and science-based activities.

It's a wonderful place to learn about the ocean and it's inhabitants.

The tide pool at the back of the aquarium (put my arm in up to the elbow) is fun for all ages. Touching a sea cucumber and an urchin was super-cool. They have baby sea horses and a huge floor-to-ceiling tank that was neat. My favorite part was the dainty, yet mezmerizing cuttlefish. Decent snacks outside the museum if you get hangry.

Nice little aquarium. They have some really cool and beautiful fish. It's a great place for younger kids, but a little small for adults.

The aquarium has quite a lot of educational value while retaining the beauty of the area.

Small; take your time and you'll be done in an hour. Several of the displays are not functioning. Find something more interesting to do in SD.

Very nice aquarium, good information on the signs. It's not particularly large so a half day is plenty of time to see what's there.

Love this place but wish it was bigger and not so crowded

I love the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This one was still pretty good.

This place is okay but full of super bratty kids and germs. Infact, after visiting I got sick after being in their tight tunnel "showcase" area where most of the displays are. Of course I can't fault them for the disgusting people and bratty kids, however I can fault them for letting the bratty kids abuse the marine life in the outdoor tide area. This is the main reason I will never be back or support this place. Watching bratty kids punch sea life and one locked in a clear plastic container while brats clamored to squeeze it hard as a volunteer tried relentlessly to get them to stop was traumatic for me to watch (and I wasn't even the poor animal being man handled). It is super sad to see the state of our country as brainless parents indulge in their bratty children's every whim and this place is swarming with them.

Great place to visit....science experiments for the kids fun animal facts......just beautiful and looking over the ocean as u go through to the back of the building.

TINY aquarium, very disappointed, not much to look at, 30min max, not worth the trip honestly

Not much to it. High price for 30 min of self guided time.

We had a pass but they wouldn't honor it because of some little technicality that wasn't clear on the pass. Wasted a trip from out of state, but they didn't care.

Like the other reviews say, this is REALLY small. But they had fun outdoor toys for my four year old.

Very disappointed, waste of time and money. Touch tanks were all empty, and other exhibits were just sad and small.
Do not recommend. ($20 per person)

Very cool place and not too expensive. My daughter loved watching all the fish and enjoying all the kids activities. Great, much cheaper, less chaotic alternative to that other place.

Great place for the kids. Not too big, but a nice aquarium.

Very interesting and educational. Fun for the whole family.

Great time for the whole family wonderful ocean views and my God education about the world around us

While I remember the quaint aquarium on the side of the bluffs, this institution is a beautiful addition allowing visitors to learn about the coast below the surface. I appreciate the emphasis on education and awareness.

Among smaller aquariums this one is one of the best! Their aquariums are well cared for and offer a great opportunity to see some cool animals and even some rare animals. I've been a fish keeper the majority of my life and anytime I visit a new city I always research and visit the public aquariums. The point being that I've seen many and this is a cut above the rest.

This place is great for the kids or those who like fish. You can get to here from with La Jolla Shores or La Jolla Scenic.

Clean and knowledgeable facility and staff however not good for a rainy or very hot day venture like most museums bc this one is half outside. Therefore very little time to kill inside and the bathrooms inside are ridiculous. Two stalls in a woman's bathroom where there was a 2 to 1 kid per adult woman when we were there. No accommodations inside either for inclement weather.

(For Covid-19 changes)
You have to order your tickets online which give a specific time for your visit. You can come about fifteen minutes before your time starts to check in and enjoy yourselves. With customer crossed control thanks to the tickets, it's pretty quiet. Mild sound from others talking if you're close to others, but it's not overwhelming, and it was (myself included) ten people in their largest aquarium room.
The place is kept clean, and the fish were precious/ some knew what people wanted and I swear they would swim slowly or hover to get their photos taken. If you take photos or like to take your time, it's well worth the visit right now.

I just went to the bookstore and gift shop on this visit. But from visits in the past I enjoyed the interactive exhibits for the children and the adults to learn more about the ocean and the creatures that live there! Great place to spend the day!

This place I great for kids! It's small but so many opportunities for education! Love it!